External Affairs Manager

About the role

Johnson & Johnson is looking for an External Affairs Manager based in Costa Rica or the Dominican Republic, within its Communications & Corporate/External Affairs function. The role applies knowledge of the regulatory environment and political landscape to support commercial decisions and innovation strategies, and contributes to advocacy strategies that align with corporate goals and policy positions.

Key responsibilities

• Apply knowledge of the regulatory environment and political landscape to contribute to commercial decisions and innovation strategies.
• Develop actionable insights from project management tools, risk and impact analyses and stakeholder feedback to support advocacy strategies.
• Monitor the regulatory environment and benchmark business impact assessments against industry standards to identify possible strategy or policy changes.
• Work with senior team members to train staff on accurate recording, tracking and reporting of compliance-based processes.
• Serve as a developing subject matter expert on government affairs and regulatory compliance, giving feedback on nonurgent regulatory matters.
• Identify engagement opportunities with industry coalitions and advocacy groups to share the organization's policy agenda.
• Coach and train junior colleagues in techniques, processes and responsibilities.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Political Science, International Relations, a healthcare-related field or a related discipline; Master's degree preferred.
• Strong experience working with the Costa Rica government and healthcare system.
• Proven experience engaging with key healthcare stakeholders and participating in healthcare industry associations or trade groups is desirable.
• Advanced level of English required.

Required skills

• Strong knowledge of market access, health technology assessment (HTA) and regulatory systems.
• Strong experience in public policy, government affairs or related functions.
• Prior experience in the Ministry of Health or other government institutions is desirable.
• Solid understanding of policymaking in the Executive and Legislative branches and the broader political landscape.